I wonder how the Sendai Earthquake is going to affect Worlds. A number of airports, including Haneda and Narita, are closed until further notice. The US state department is urging its citizens to avoid non essential travel to Japan until at least April 1st.
I just woke up and heard about the earthquake. This is dreadful. It's the strongest earthquake recorded since 1900, and there is a tsunami alert in Hawaii and even on America's west coast. It's almost too hard to comprehend the scale of such an event, so I find it natural to focus on people we know or have heard of, namely the skaters. All I can see in my miind is the faces of skaters I have admired and loved for years, and I can only hope and pray that they and their countrymen will make it through with as little damage as possible.
ISU annoucement:
http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/co...s-item,00.html
I live in the central part of Tokyo, about 20 min train ride from the venue of the World. Fortunately almost everything here is OK although the public transportation and telephones are out of service tonight(the internet and TV are alive). The quake here in Tokyo was only level 5, like an airplane flying in a stromy weather, and no skaters would have felt dizzy, hahaha!
Through the twitters, it is infromed all the Japanese participants to the Worlds are OK.
Thank you so much, gardenernaga! It's so good to know it!
It's good that you and your family are okay, gardenernaga. And thanks for the news about Tokyo.
I know we've heard from all of this year's Worlds participants, but has anyone heard anything from Shizuka? I think she is based in Sendai, isn't she? The photos are heartbreaking; one shows two cars of a train just lying on their sides, like toys not put away after playtime.
Somehow it doesn't seem right to expect the Japanese skaters to compete next week. Couldn't they at least postpone Worlds for a month? I know there are problems involved with that, but (to mix sports metaphors) getting back on the horse right now seems a bit rushed.
Olympia, worlds do not start next week, only the week after.Originally Posted by Olympia
Thankfully, Shizuka is fine. She sent a twitter message which said: @tiramisu11 (Shizuka Arakawa) "Thank you for your concern. I'm okay for now, and also my family, doggies, and home will be safe". Just read it in a Universal Sports article entitled 'Figure Skaters tweet support to Japan'
The preliminary ladies, men and dance (QR) competitions start in less than 10 days. Presumably, many skaters would be arriving next week so as to adjust their bodies to the time difference before competing.
Thanks for the time correction, Herios. And thanks, Oksanafan, for the update on Shizuka. I don't know why I watched a report a short while ago on TV, but it's devastating to see what's happened and to think of all those people in such dire circumstances. And the nuclear plant that's become unstable...of all the countries in the world to be in danger from nuclear power, why did it have to be Japan. If there's a word worse than tragedy, this is the time for it.
Great to hear about Shizuka. Thanks Oksanafan. The images are heartbreaking. It's all just unimaginable to me. I'm sure the tragedy will cast a pall on worlds and there will be many tributes. My heart goes out to the Japanese skaters and everyone who has to see their homeland go through this.
ETA This site has several tweets.
http://www.universalsports.com/blogs...id=523434.html
Fumie Suguri says she was stuck on a metro this morning and couldn't get to the hospital where her grandfather had just died. How awful for her.
Mirai Nagasu says she couldn't get in touch with her grandparents to see if they were okay.
Last edited by Layfan; 03-11-2011 at 11:10 PM.
Yuzuru Hanyu, who trains and lives in Sendai, and his coach are fine too. He was in school when the tsunami happened
Thanks to our Japanese forum mates for keeping us up to date on developments there in Tokio. Let us know how the rolling blackouts are working for you in Tokio. Hopefully, they will get the reactors under control and the power grid stabilized. I for one hope the Worlds do go ahead there. The leaders in New Zealand have stated that the best way to help them recover from their earthquake is to come and visit. Dont stay away. It is my hope that the US government steps up and works well with Japan in getting our military with its vast global logistic commands to supply the relief effort with any food and supplies it needs. Our news is showing disaster centers there where food has to be rationed to the very old and the very young first. Sadly, Nothing can bring back the 10,000 lost souls. All we can do is move forward with the rescue, recovery, and rebuild stages. Maybe the US cant save the world, but we can try and help our friends. I say that is tax dollars well spent for once.
Worlds are officially postponed http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/co...s-item,00.html
Well, there you have it. Worlds is not going to happen next week as originally scheduled. When or if the competition will be held is unknown at this time, that decision will be made later when more information is available. This whole situation leaves the skaters in a state of limbo, so I hope some final determination is made very soon so the skaters can plan accordingly.
Thank goodness they've made such a decision. If they really commit to a location soon, they might even want to set up a facility to house the Japanese skaters, so they can get over there as soon as possible and be able to train without fearing an aftershock every half hour. It would be something constructive that skating could do for Japan.
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